High Wind — Indian Wells Vly, California

2018-02-19 · Indian Wells Vly, California

Event narrative

The Indian Wells Canyon RAWS measured a peak wind gust of 82 mph.

Wider weather episode

President's Day weekend got off to a warm and dry start across the area, but the weekend ended on the chilly side as a strong cold front pushed across Central California on the evening of February 18. Gusty winds accompanied the front and continued behind the cold front overnight and well into the President's Day holiday before diminishing by afternoon. Several locations in the San Joaquin Valley measured wind gusts between 35 and 45 mph while several stations in the Kern County Mountains and Deserts reported wind gusts between 45 and 55 mph with a few low impact indicator locations reporting stronger gusts. In addition to the strong winds, light snow fell across portions of the Kern County Mountains in post frontal showers and several locations picked up between a dusting to an inch of snowfall.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 731088. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.